4.5 stars! This book exceeded my expectations, I felt like I was there with the children! I didn’t see the ending coming the way that it did, everything tied together so well! A perfect popcorn thriller, one of Noelle’s best.

4.5 ⭐️ Talk about not wasting any time! This thriller grabs you from page one and holds on tight throughout this heat-pounding, gripping story. This book is based on the true account of the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, where a bus of students and bus driver were taken and buried and held hostage in a truck trailer. This book is a highly fictional take on that situation, what they endured, and how they survived. The way this story came alive with the relatable redeeming characters, captivating back stories, and enthralling details; it was harrowing and addictive. I couldn't put it down! I enjoyed the multiple POVs, and the short chapters always help move a story along. Noelle Ilhi has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and this was one of her best! Thank you to NetGalley, Dynamite Books, and Noelle Ilhi for an ARC of this unforgettable thriller!

The first 40% or so of this felt so slow however as soon as I was invested??!! It was SUCH a fast, fun read. I loved the different POV’s that really made me feel as though I was going though this alongside everyone. The writing style as well was so captivating, and you could easily make out the different styles for each individual person’s POV. I felt like this was a very conclusive, satisfying ending and this book met all of my expectations from loving previous books by this author. Definitely felt like an amazing palette cleanser, with it wanting me to just keep reading and it being a relatively short book!!
Thank you so much to net galley for this arc! Really enjoyed this one! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this one!!! Definitely an auto buy author

I will be uploading a review of this book closer to the release date on TikTok: shannonreads02

✨ARC Review: Such Quiet Girls✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Summary: This is a thriller novel based on the events of a true story. It follows the terrifying hours after a bus full of kids and the bus driver go missing, and what they endure during that scary time.

Thoughts: Since the day this book was announced, it has been my most anticipated read for 2025, and it did not disappoint! From the first chapter, you are sucked in and don’t want to stop because you want to know what is going to happen. I loved the multiple POV’s and the short chapters. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! I HIGHLY recommend you pick up this book when it releases on April 29th!

Thank you so much Noelle W. Ihli for the opportunity to read this early and give a review! I cannot wait until your next release!!

Another wildly addictive read from Noelle W. Ihli that I would’ve said was almost unbelievable, except for the fact that it was based around a true story. I went into this without knowing any details of the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, and my mind is blown that this actually occurred. I recommend doing further research on this event after reading the book.

Noelle is an auto-read author for me for a reason. I fly through her books because they are truly too hard to put down. She brings stories and characters to life like no other and her ability to create tension is *chefs kiss*.

No notes. I loved this! Thank you to NetGalley, Dynamite Books and Noelle W. Ihli for providing me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review. Publishing date is April 29th, 2025.

ARC Read
What an honor to be chosen to be an ARC reader for this book. It will be published on April 29th, 2025.

Such Quiet Girls is a book based on a try event that happened back in 1976.

In this book, we have 4 povs. Jessa, the bus driver, Sage one of the students, Sheena, the mother of 2 of the students, and Ted, one of the kidnappers.
When I say this book had me on the edge of my seat and gave me anxiety, waiting to see what was going to happen. I couldn't read fast enough.

This was a well written, fast-paced thriller with great character development. I absolutely enjoyed it!

As a mother, this is absolutely triggering. Having your child, children, kidnapped is the ultimate nightmare.

I have heard nothing but great things about this. Author, ask for Andrea is a book that I see recommended a lot. I have never read one of her books so when this book became available I jumped right on it. Recommending this author is something I will absolutely do moving forward. Can't wait to read some of her previously published works.

This book is about a bus full of children and bus driver who get kidnapped and buried in a hole. The kidnappers promised that once they get the ransom they will let everyone know where the children are. It follows the mother of two children who were kidnapped as she tries to pay the ransom to get her children back, all while struggling with her father and his Alzheimer's flare-ups.

I think the thing I appreciate most about this book is Sage, a 12-year-old, thought to save her sister and the other children. I love the references to Harriet, the Spy and how she used her strength to keep going, even when things looked impossible. That little girl had so much strength + I was super proud of her and her growth throughout this book.

I think the ending was a perfect present wrapped up with a bow on top. It seemed like everything worked out the way it should, a even love the outcome for the bus driver because she deserved redemption as well.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli—out April 29, 2025!

This book is every mother’s worst nightmare. A school bus gets hijacked in broad daylight, and the driver, along with a group of kids, is buried alive in a shipping container. I mean… I actually caught myself asking why am I reading this? Why am I doing this to myself?!

But the writing is so good, I couldn’t stop. I had to know what happened. I needed to know if the kids were okay. Noelle W. Ihli does an incredible job of capturing that raw fear, urgency, and the deep connection that forms between Jessa, the bus driver, and Sage, a 12-year-old girl trying to be brave.

It’s intense, emotional, and unputdownable. If you’re into thrillers that make your heart race while also tugging at your emotions, Such Quiet Girls is one to watch for. Just be prepared—it’s a ride.

5/5! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader’s copy of this book! As soon as I read Ask for Andrea, I knew any new releases from Noelle W. Ihli would be an immediate read and I was so excited to get my hands on this book! It is a gripping thriller written in 4 POV’s (an abductor, one of the students that was abducted, the bus driver that was abducted, and a mother to one of the students that was abducted). Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. It’s fast paced and action packed. I finished the book within 24 hours. It’s heart wrenching and I cried so much during the end of the book. My heart will forever love Sage and the rest of the children in this book!

My Rating: 3⭐️⭐️⭐️ I liked it, but it wasn’t at the same standard as her other recent books!!

Ten children, abducted in broad daylight - and buried alive!

Sage and her sister won’t make it home from school today. Along with the other 8 children on Bus 315. New bus driver Jesss blames herself for what happened. She couldn’t protect the kids just like she couldn’t protect her own daughter 3 years ago.

Trapped in a shipping container buried 20feet underground, Jessa and the children do their best to stay calm. The kidnappers insist if everyone behaves they will be freed but Sage and Jessa don’t believe that. They need to find a way out before they are buried forever!!

Ok, so with an opening line like abducted and buried alive… you would think holy moly this is gonna be wild. AND its inspired by true events. Why is it a three then I hear you ask…. Wellll…

This felt rushed, it didn’t feel like it had that research of the previous inspired by true events books that Noelle Ihli has been doing lately. Which I have loved.. this one felt very fictional and there was absolutely none of that edge of your seat, anxiety feeling. This is a book about a kidnapping and kids being buried alive… and I didn’t feel stressed at all. I felt like the execution of this was clumsy.

I also thought Jessa was an idiot, the way she was written made her come across self centred and bitchy to the kids, she had her own stuff going on I get that but you have 10 kids under 12 with you and you’re too busy being a bitch to worry about how they are feeling and comfort them… you are the adult and it was not believable to me… especially given this is inspired by true events. I would be terrified… that should be on the page… but I would also be so worried about all these little kids.

Jessa’s backstory felt unnecessary, I know why we had it.. but we didn’t need it.. the story was (should have been) enough. The kidnappers should have been scary… but they were bumbling fools. And maybe they were in real life too… but there was just no feeling in this one. I feel like it was a matter of smash it out and publish it as quick as possible. As I type I feel like my three stars are generous.

Normally this authors books are hit and miss for me… but the ones based on or inspired by real events have been so good. I don’t know if this was too recent for her to dig in… perhaps the actual people affected by this tragedy are still alive and she was feeling a bit touchy about writing about it in a fictional sense… I don’t know. But I was disappointed.

Overall, the book is fine… but if I were going to recommend Ihli book to you it would not be this one. For one of this ilk it would be Gray After Dark or None Left to Tell and as far as her proper fiction goes it would be Run on Red.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dynamite Books and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you love a book with multiple POV’s then you’ll know that Noelle is the queen of a multiple POV novel! And she didn’t disappoint this time, giving us 4 POV’s. This allows the reader to see the scenario from all sides including the side of one of the kidnappers. Noelle always does these really well.

I did find it a bit of a slow burn & was waiting for a twist. But it didn’t come which disappointed me. The storyline i found a little predictable, but upon finding out it was based on the 1973 case of abduction in Chowchilla, it made more sense.

Overall an enjoyable read for fans of crime novels.

4.5 out of 5 stars.
This was my third novel written by Noelle W. Ihli and it did not disappoint. I liked Run on Red and absolutely loved Gray After Dark. This book is another fantastic, heart pounding thriller.
I loved the aspect of getting to see the different POVs; one of them being the criminal/kidnapper which you don’t often get to experience.
I really appreciate that her books seem to all be inspired by a true event. It was shared at the end of this book where you can find additional info on the real story which I thought was unique and interesting.
Definitely recommend this author and this book!

Such Quiet Girls is one of the most harrowing, emotionally immersive thrillers I’ve read in a long time. From the shocking opening to the final page, the tension never lets up. Noelle W. Ihli masterfully crafts a story that’s both terrifying and deeply human.

The plot—ten children abducted and buried alive in a shipping container—hits like a punch to the gut. You can feel the panic closing in with every chapter. Jessa, the bus driver carrying the weight of her past trauma and desperate to protect the children this time, is a heartbreaking and powerful lead. Her grief, guilt, and strength are written with raw honesty. Sage, a brave and intuitive child, adds a fresh, emotional perspective that deepens the impact of the story.

What sets this book apart is its realism. Inspired by actual events, the fear, claustrophobia, and psychological complexity of being buried alive feel disturbingly authentic. Yet through all the darkness, there’s an undercurrent of hope, resilience, and the fierce will to survive.

This isn’t just a survival story—it’s a story about guilt, redemption, and the unbreakable bond between strangers in a crisis. Equal parts chilling and moving, Such Quiet Girls is a must-read for fans of high-stakes thrillers that stay with you long after the final page.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy. Such Quiet Girls was one of my most anticipated books of the spring and it did not disappoint. Based on a true story, Such Quiet Girls is about 10 children and their bus driver being abducted. The four different POVs of the story are Jessa, the bus driver, Sage, a student on the bus along with her sister Bonnie, Sheena, Sage and Bonnie’s mother, and one of the kidnappers. I really enjoyed the use of these different characters as it allowed the reader the complete experience. The pacing was great and the book was hard to put down.

This is a pulse pounding thriller that will have you reaching for your anxiety meds 😅. I loved every minute of this book!

Noelle West Ihli did an amazing job creating dynamic characters that moved the storyline along quickly without leaving out those precious details. All I can say is, I would be a proud mom if my daughter ended up being as brave as Sage. This was an easy read that any thriller lover will guzzle up.

This book was amazing! Caught my attention from the start and kept it the entire time. It was the perfect amount of suspense and answers!! I loved connecting the pieces of the puzzle as I read. Small hints/details became major pieces to the mystery. Loved that it followed a true story, and that it had a happy ending. Perfect length chapters, perfect length book, just overall great!! Another great book by Noelle!!

What a phenomenal and emotional story!

Based on actual event, Such Quiet Girls is a story about a school bus that gets hijacked and the kids and the bus driver were abducted.

There’s 4 POV but very easy to follow.

As much as I want to say about the book, I don’t want to spoil it. All you need to know is a school bus was hijacked and they’re trying to find a way to keep hope, and to find a way out.

It’s a gripping, edge of your seat type of thriller. I can’t even imagine what those people went through whether it was the mom who received the ransom note, or the people that were buried in the bunker. The fear of running out of oxygen and possibly not be able to get help and be saved.

The emotions runs higher and higher as the story goes on.

I couldn’t wait to get back to the book everyday on my lunch and after work.

I absolutely recommend it!

Thank you so much Noelle and Dynamite Books for the ARC.

Guess who’s back, back again….

Noelle West Ihli, is back

Tell a friend .

We all know this chick is one of my favorites but Such Quiet Girls literally blew my mind . This might be my book of the year.

Such Quiet Girls, is a gripping thriller that plunges readers into a terrifying scenario, a broad daylight abduction of a group of kids and their bus driver. The story centers on Jessa, the new bus driver, who is haunted by her past and fiercely determined to protect the children in her care.

Ihli masterfully creates a claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere as Jessa and the children find themselves trapped in an underground shipping container. The kidnappers' demands are simple: behave, and you will be freed when the ransom is paid. But as time and air dwindle, both Jessa and one of the children, Sage, begin to fear that their chances of survival are slim.

The novel is inspired by true events, which adds an extra layer of chilling realism to the narrative. Ihli explores themes of fear, survival, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable horror. The pacing of the story is well-executed, with a steady build-up of tension that keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Such Quiet Girls is a heart-pounding thriller that will appeal to fans of suspenseful and harrowing tales. Ihli's skillful storytelling and vivid characterizations make this a memorable and unsettling read.

5 stars

This book starts off 100mph and doesn't stop til the end. A bus of children kidnapped and buried alive as a rush against time to find them beings. Shifting perspectives, short chapters, and a pulse racing plot makes for a quick read about a parent's worst nightmare. The fact that it was inspired by true events makes it all the more compelling.

This is my second book by Ihli and so far she is proving to be well worth the read. Interesting characters and satisfying suspense/thrillers. I've enjoyed her writing so far and I think any suspense reader would as well.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite books.

I read Such Quiet Girls for a buddy-read because I had heard such good things about the author, and they weren't kidding! Such Quiet Girls is a taut novel about a group of after-school kids who go missing when their bus is kidnapped. The horrible thing is that it is based on a true event!

Ihli does a good job of maintaining the tension throughout as the bus driver and children bravely do their best to cooperate with the kidnappers by being as quiet as possible, and then trying to survive in an underground bunker with no lights, a makeshift toilet, and limited air supplies. The kids and the teacher go to herculean lengths to make sure they can survive...before the bad guys get them! The bus driver, Jessa, was not the most likeable character and at first almost seems to be siding with the kidnappers, But she takes cues from Jade, the oldest student on board, who acts more mature and resourceful, and they work together to keep the other kids calm and working toward a solution. The multiple points of view give you insight into the kidnappers thought processes. All in all, this was an edge-of-your-seat read that left me breathless and maybe with a few tears!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for an advance reader's copy.